Local Bar @ Highland now open in former Arabian Bar space

After decades as the Arabian Bar, one of Denver's classic dives, the LoHi address got a major facelift --everything in it is new -- and opened yesterday as Local Bar @ Highland. While we'd reported last October that Barry Zadikoff, owner of Barry's on Broadway, had plans to essentially turn it into a clone of his South Broadway bar, Gary Cohen, who's been in the game and jukebox business for three decades, took over the address instead.

"It was too much for him," Cohen says. "More than he thought he could handle."

Cohen says the Local is looking to bring in anybody and everybody. At the soft opening last night, he notes, there was a mix of people from the neighborhood, sort of a South Broadway crowd, working people and professionals. "Our motto is flip-flops or Jimmy Choos or Rolexes or Timexes," he adds.

While there are no plans for live entertainment in the space, Cohen says it will start having Golden Tee and worst karaoke contests starting in a few weeks.

The bar has a number of local brews on tap, including Dry Dock, Prost and Tommyknocker, some of which are part of its Highland Hour happy hour, which runs from 1 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

"We're just excited about catering to the neighborhood, but we want other people to come in also," Cohen says.